Our new cultivar is the product of a long standing detailed program of hybridizing and selection of dogwood in this instance from native Eastern or Cornus florida seedlings which are carefully controlled, records carefully retained and characteristics analyzed for their differences and outstanding value as potential commercial varieties or cultivars.
As will be understood from the following the program has resulted in many outstanding crosses which ultimately result in particularly attractive vegetative and floral parts, which appear on trees which are very floriferous and regular bearers.
We have selected the particular seedling hereof from certain progeny grown in a cultivated area and as a result have in turn caused the same to be asexually reproduced by stem cuttings. They may also be so reproduced by budding and grafting.
The reproduction and actual growth and selection of the new cultivar took place in the vicinity of New Brunswick, N.J. and has been found to be distinctive as to its winter-hardiness in that area, Plant Hardiness Zone 6.
As will be understood from the detailed description of the invention which appears hereinafter, the new cultivar is in fact outstanding and readily identified as being such thus providing for a new variety which is identified botanically for the purposes hereof as Cornus florida L. var. rubra West and will be known commercially as `D-376-15` the identifier which it was assigned when selected, and has for local identification, the synonym `Rutnam`.
With the foregoing in mind the description which follows will be understood as clearly defining the new cultivar as having the desirable characteristics which are the result of such a program as been here heretofore suggested.